Mutu faces six-month ban over drug test
The Romanian international, whose future at Chelsea was already uncertain following a bust-up with manager Jose Mourinho, returned to London yesterday to await the result of a B sample.
It has been confirmed that the substance was not performance-enhancing but linked to social drug use, and there have been claims that the substance involved was cocaine.
If, as is almost certain, the B sample confirms the positive finding then the FA will hold a disciplinary hearing.
In those circumstances the organisation would have to impose a suspension of between six months and two years as well as a fine. If they were any more lenient the FA themselves could be fined by FIFA for contravening their guidelines.
The player's agent Andrea Pretti confirmed the Romanian international has returned to London after spending the last few days in Italy and is being joined by another representative, Victor Becali.
Pretti said: "You can imagine how the player feels. He already had technical problems at Chelsea and now this has just made it even worse. Until this situation is cleared up what his future will be is secondary.
"The English FA and Chelsea have acted correctly, as they should be in this situation, and that they will not release a statement until a counter-analysis has been carried out.
"The player is in London he had spent a couple of days in Italy but he's returned to the English capital. We are awaiting the counter-analysis and until then we'll just have to wait and see what happens. We don't think it will take long for things to happen, possibly a couple of days."
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Bosnich was suspended by the club after testing positive for cocaine and later sacked when his B test confirmed that finding.
PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor, in South Africa for a conference of the international players' union FIFPro, expressed his disappointment at the case.
Taylor said: "I am disappointed for two reasons, one that we have had a positive test concerning a footballer and two that it has got out into the public domain before there has been a hearing with the player.
"We have been made aware of the positive test by the FA and have been in touch with the player with regard to his hearing."
The Football Association have refused to comment but have tightened their doping programme after Rio Ferdinand's missed drugs test in 2003.
In July it was announced the FA planned to increase the number of tests in the 2004-05 season by 20%.
Meanwhile, anti-doping expert Michele Verroken said it was very unlikely Mutu's B sample would do anything other than confirm the original finding.
Verroken, a former head of UK Sport's anti-doping agency, said yesterday: "The B sample, in my experience, has never, ever done anything else but follow the A sample.
"In my experience counter-analysis has never, ever countered the result of the A sample so it really is almost a foregone conclusion unless there's been a real mistake by either the testing agencies or the analytical organisation.
"In many respects I think we're facing this player going to a hearing which is obviously very sad news for him."
His Romanian team team-mate, Cosmin Contra, of Atletico Madrid said: "I must talk first with him. I don't believe it though. If it turns out to be true, it will be a disaster for Romanian football. That the best player we have at the moment takes cocaine is a tragedy."
The Romanian team doctor, Pompiliu Popescu, added: "I can't believe that Adrian did such a thing. I don't know what could have happened at Chelsea, but with the national team I can guarantee he was clean.
"All the products which we give to our players are verified and under signature and all the tests were okay. But it could be a mistake. For example, if you drink some energy drinks you will have a positive test."
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
